Toy gun



March 19, 1963 l. WEISS 3,081,998

TOY GUN Filed. NOV, 35; 958

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ATTORNEY.

Unite This invention relates to a toy or practice gun suitable for testing ones skill in drawing from a holster.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a toy or practice gun which when drawn from the holster and leveled directly at a target will shoot properly but if triggered when pointing up or pointing down will jam or block.

The objects of the invention are obtained by providing jamming means on one of the pivoted mechanisms connected with the trigger which cooperate with one or more pivoted gravity controlled means that permit operation of the trigger mechanism when the gun is held level but jam or block the mechanism and prevent its complete operation when the gun is not held level.

The term gun in the present specification and claims, is used in its broad sense to include pistols, revolvers, rifles, howitzers, etc.

A very satisfactory type of gravity controlled means is a pendulum type device which interlocks with the pivoted means on the trigger mechanism in certain positions of the gun but not in the level position.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the gun with the side portion thereof broken away to show the essential parts of the mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a view of the trigger mechanism with a portion of the trigger removed.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the operation of the trigger blocking means when the gun is pointed upwardly.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating the operation of the trigger blocking means when the gun is pointed downwardly.

FIG. 5 is a side cross sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

The gun shown is a pistol or revolver having a hand grip 11, barrel 12 and cylinder 13 which in this case is merely representative of a rotating cylinder but does not actually rotate. These parts of the gun or pistol can be of any conventional design and do not contribute to the novelty of the present invention. It is essential for this invention that the trigger mechanism of the gun to which it is to be applied include at least one part that pivots about an aXis during firing thereof, i.e., when the trigger is pulled. The trigger 14 in the pistol 10 is pivotable about the axle or shaft 15. A spring 16 which is held by shaft is adapted to return the trigger after it is pulled to its original position. The portion of the trigger end covered by shield 17 operates the hammer 18 which is held in the closed position shown in FIG. 1 by spring 19. The trigger 14, hammer 18, etc., are of conventional design and need not be described in detail for an understanding of the invention. As stated above it is only necessary that a part of the trigger-hammer mechanism be pivotable for the jamming means of the present invention to be added.

In the present form of the invention the jamming means 20 is secured to the trigger device 14 and rotates on the shaft 15 with said trigger device. The means 29 is a type of ratchet which can always rotate clockwise but which will be prevented from rotating counterclockwise by the pendulum stop 21 or 22 when the pistol is pointed upwardly as shown in FIG. 3 or downwardly as shown in FIG. 4. The ratchet 20 may be secured to the trigger device 14 in any Way as by welding, soldering, keying,

3,%8i,998 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 etc., or, as shown in FIG. 1, it may be attached by means of screws 23, 24. The ratchet 20 contains two cut away portions or notches 30 and 31 forming a stepped spur 32 tlierebetween.

The pair of pendulum pawls or dogs 21, 22 are loosely mounted on the side casing 33 of the pistol 10. The pendulum pawl 21 is pivotally mounted on the axle 34 above the cut away portion 30 and in front of the spur means 32. When the pistol is held level, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of this pawl is in the deepest part of the cut away portion 30 and upon pulling the trigger the ratchet 20 will be pivoted counterclockwise and will push the pawl 21 out of its path. When the gun is tilted upwardly, however, the pawl 21 rotates counterclockwise due to the pull of gravity and comes to rest adjacent one of the steps of the spur 32. When the gun is tilted forwardly the pawl rests against the unstepped side of the cut away portion 30 and will not interfere with the operation of the trigger means 14.

The pendulum pawl 22 is pivotally mounted at 35 so that its free lower end is outside and to the rear of the orbit of ratchet 30 when the pistol is held level or is tilted upwardly. If the pistol is pointed downwardly, however, the pawl 22 swings forwardly and/ or downwardly (to the left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) into the path of the step 36 of ratchet 3t and thus prevents the trigger from being pulled far enough to fire the gun. It will be noted that the pawls 21 and 22 prevent the operation of the trigger mechanism even if the pistol is brought to level position after trigger has first been put under tension in an unlevel position, unless, of course, the trigger is first released to permit the jammed pawl 21 or 22 to swing again While the gun is held in level position.

FIG. 5 shows a modified form of device in which pulling the trigger 14 to fire the gun when the gun is held level also operates an electrical noise making device. The barrel 12 of the gun contains one or more batteries 40' which are grounded to the metal barrel 12 at the negative end and are connected at the positive end 41 to a switch device 42 having a movable arm 43 in the path of the end 44 of hammer 18. When arm 43 is pressed upwardly by portion 44 of hammer 18 it contacts the stud 45 completing the electrical circuit to a motor device 46. The motor 46 and train of speed reduction gears 47, 48, 49, 59, etc., and holding frame 6% are suitably attached within the hollow barrel portion of the toy gun. Rotation of the motor 46 sets gears 475@ in motion. The shaft 51 which rotates with gear 50 carries a wheel 52 on which a plurality of projections 53 extend. Projections 53, in rotating, bend and release spring means 54 which is att-ached to the body of the gun by means of a block 55. Thus the vibrational sound of the spring means 54 is set in motion when the gun is held level and the trigger is pulled to a sufficient distance to operate switch 43, 45.

In some cases it may be desirable to prevent the pistol or gun from shooting only when held in an upwardly tilted position or in other cases only when pointed downwardly. In such cases only one of the pendulum pawls 21 or 22 is needed.

The gun or pistol of the invention is especially useful for practicing the steps of drawing the gun from a holster, leveling and shooting. The pistol or gun of the invention also makes it possible for two or more applicants to draw against each other and the improvement of the invention makes it abundantly clear who has succeeded in drawing, leveling and firing their pistol first especially when the pistols are loaded with blank cartridges or caps.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants US. application Serial No. 740,356 filed June 6, 1958, and now abandoned. In that application the idea of providing a gun or pistol with an electrical mechanism which prevents the gun from discharging when not first brought to level position before pulling the trigger. The present application differs from that prior application in that the blocking means is purely mechanical in nature.

The features and principles underlying the invention described above in connection with specific exemplifications will suggest to those skilled in the art many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims shall not be limited to any specific feature or details thereof.

I claim:

1. In a toy or practice gun of the type comprising a trigger mechanism which operates the hammer through a trigger which is mounted to pivot about an axis, the improvement preventing the trigger mechanism from operating when the gun is pointed in at least one non-level position comprising shaft means on the body of said gun for pivotally mounting the trigger of said trigger mechanism to the body of said gun,

said trigger including ratchet means positioned thereon so as to pivot coaxially with said trigger about said shaft means,

said ratchet means having at least one notch therein,

at least one pivoting pawl freely mounted in said gun adjacent the ratchet so as to be rotated by the pull of gravity when the gun is tilted,

means adjacent the free end of said pawl adapted to bear against said notch of said ratchet and prevent movement of the trigger for a distance sufiicient to operate said trigger mechanism until the gun is brought from a downwardly pointing to a substantially level position.

2. In a toy or practice gun of the type comprising a trigger mechanism which operates the hammer through a trigger which is mounted to pivot about an axis, the improvement preventing the trigger mechanism from operating when the gun is pointed in at least one non-level position comprising shaft means on the body of said gun for pivotally mounting the trigger of said trigger mechanism to the body of said gun,

said trigger including ratchet means positioned thereon so as to pivot with said trigger about said shaft means,

said ratchet means having two spaced notched portions therein,

two pivoting pawls freely mounted in said gun so as to be rotated by the pull of gravity when the gun is tilted,

said pawls being spaced from each other but both being adapted to pivot in the path of said ratchet means,

a first of said pawls being adjacent to but in front of a first of said notched portions and the second of said pawls being adjacent to but back of the second of said notched portions when the gun is held in level position whereby tilting the gun in one vertical direction swings one of said pawls into position adjacent its notched portion of the ratchet and tilting the gun in the other vertical direction swings the other of said pawls into position adjacent its notched portion of the ratchet.

3. In a toy or practice gun 0f the type comprising a trigger mechanism which operates the hammer through a trigger which is mounted to pivot about an axis, the improvement preventing the trigger mechanism from operating when the gun is pointed in at least one non-level position comprising shaft means on the body of said gun for pivotally mounting the trigger of said trigger mechanism to the body of said gun,

said trigger including ratchet means positioned thereon so as to pivot with said trigger about said shaft means,

said ratchet means having two spaced stepped portions therein,

two pivoting pawls freely mounted in said gun so as to be rotated by the pull of gravity when the gun is tilted,

said pawls being spaced from each other but both 'being adapted to pivot in the path of said ratchet means,

a first of said pawls being adjacent to but in front of a first of said stepped portions and the second of said pawls being adjacent to but back of the second of said stepped portions when the gun is held in level position whereby tilting the gun in one vertical direction swings one of said pawls into position adjacent its stepped portion of the ratchet and tilting the gun in the other vertical direction swings the other of said pawls into position adjacent its stepped portion of the ratchet.

4. A gun as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ratchet means is formed from a separate piece of material and is afiixed to said trigger.

Ely Jan. 5, 1909 Edwards Jan. 12, 1949 

1. IN A TOY OR PRACTICE GUN OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A TRIGGER MECHANISM WHICH OPERATES THE HAMMER THROUGH A TRIGGER WHICH IS MOUNTED TO PIVOT ABOUT AN AXIS, THE IMPROVEMENT PREVENTING THE TRIGGER MECHANISM FROM OPERATING WHEN THE GUN IS POINTED IN AT LEAST ONE NON-LEVEL POSITION COMPRISING SHAFT MEANS ON THE BODY OF SAID GUN FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE TRIGGER OF SAID TRIGGER MECHANISM TO THE BODY OF SAID GUN, SAID TRIGGER INCLUDING RATCHET MEANS POSITIONED THEREON SO AS TO PIVOT COAXIALLY WITH SAID TRIGGER ABOUT SAID SHAFT MEANS, SAID RATCHET MEANS HVING AT LEAST ONE NOTCH THEREIN, AT LEAST ONE PIVOTING PAWL FREELY MOUNTED IN SAID GUN ADJACENT THE RATCHET SO AS TO BE ROTATED BY THE PULL OF GRAVITY WHEN THE GUN IS TILTED, MEANS ADJACENT THE FREE END OF SAID PAWL ADAPTED TO BEAR AGAINST SAID NOTCH OF SAID RATCHET AND PREVENT MOVEMENT OF THE TRIGGER FOR A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO OPERATE SAID TRIGGER MECHANISM UNTIL THE GUN IS BROUGHT FROM A DOWNWARDLY POINTING TO A SUBSTANTIALLY LEVEL POSITION. 